Fluid transfer device



\ Feb. 16, 1965 R. w. GRAcE FLUID TRANSFER DEvIcE 'Filed Nov. 23, 1982 INVENTOR.

RICHARD w. GRACE BY MY W A TTORN E YS United States Patent O v 3,170,016 FLUID TRANSFER DEVICE Richard W. Grace, Weirton, W. Va., assignor to National Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 239,711 1 Claim. (Cl. 266-34) This invention is concerned with apparatus for introducing fluid into a high temperature reaction zone. A typical application for the apparatus of the present invention would be introducing Oxygen into an open hearth furnace.

In basic Oxygen steelmaking processes employing open hearth furnaces, it has been desirable to increase the contact area of top blown Oxygen with the molten metal bath. One method for increasing the area of contact of Oxygen with the bath has been to use plural Outlet nozzle structure rather than single outlet structure. However, it has been found that, as the angle of divergence of the Oxygen outlets approaches 30, the Oxygen has a tendency to ricochet from the bath causing splashing of molten slag and metal on the walls of the furnace and poor penetration of the o'xygen into the bath.

One aim of the present invention is to provide apparatus which permits a decrease in the angle of divergence of such Oxygen Outlets while maintaining or increasing the effective area of contact of the top blown Oxygen with the molten metal bath.

The prior practice has generally been to limit the size and length of such divergent Outlet conduits so that the nozzle structure was no larger in diameter than the lance structure; a representative example is the patent to Hinds et al. No. 3,020,035. Another approach of the prior art has been to narrow the nozzle structure with respect to the lance structure, for example, the patent to Vogt No. 2,829,960. The present invention teaches that the area of contact of the top blown Oxygen with the molten metal bath can be increased while maintaining a desrable angle (approximately 20) Of divergence of the Oxygen outlets by radially enlarging the nozzle structure beyond the outer periphery of the lance structure. The teachings of the present'invention go beyond simply enlarging the nozzle structure, however. It has been found that, by enlarging the nozzle structure With respect to the lance structure, much more area for the accumulation of metal and slag splash is presented with the result that these materials accumulate heavily on 'the nozzle structure and the lance. Such accumulation of slag and metal causes the device to present larger areas for heat absorption from the surrounding furnace atmosphere; causes a weight problem in handling of the device since the large accumulations added to the weight of the lance may exceed the handling specifications of the device support structure; and, causes a problem in removing the lance from the furnace since the metal accumulations read-ily exceed the size of the lance port. The invention eliminates these problems with a configuration which permits the nozzle structure tO be larger in diameter than the lance structure and substantially reduces metal and slag accumulations.

In describ'ing the invention, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic drawing, partially in section, of an elongated fluid transfer device embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end view of nozzle head structure embodying the invention, showing a portion of the crosssectional configuration of the fluid transfer device of FIGURE 1 in dotted lines; and

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of nozzle head structure and a portion of elongated lance structure embodying the invention.

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The lance structure itself used for supplying fluid and coolant to the nozzlehead structure of the invention may be of any conventional design. For example, the lance structure of FIGURE 1 is of the three concentric tube type while the lance structure of FIGURE 3 is of the two concentric tube type.

In FIGURE 1, Va fluid such as Oxygen isiprovided through centrally located passage 7. Incoming coolant is provided through annular passage 9 and outgoing coolant fiows through annular passage 14 within the confines of outer tubular member 15.

At the discharge end of the lance, Oxygen from passage 7 diverges into a plurality of Oxygen Outlet conduits housed within nozzle head structure 16.

The nozzle head structure 16 includes a main body section 17 Of cylindrical cross section conforming in size and shape to the outer tubular member 15, an outer wall member 18, and face plate means 20.

The outer configuration of the nozzle structure which contributes to the efliciency of the invention in disposing of metal and slag will be better understood considering FIGURE 2 in combination with FIGURE l. This nozzle structure is longitudinally fluted so as to form a series of raised and grooved sections around its periphery. This radial ribbing produces an undulated edge as shown in the end view of FIGURE 2 and substantially the same cross-sectional configuration holds throughout the longitudinal length of the nozzle structure. The effect of this scalloped or fluted configuration is to provide for ready run-off of metal or slag splash. Therefore, in spite of an increased diameter of the raised portions of the nozzle structure with respect to the periphery of the outer tubular member 15 of the lance structure, there is no opportunity for slag Or metal to accumulate.

Considering the nozzle structure in more detail, the fluid Outlet conduits 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, and 34 diverge outwardly at an angle 'between approximately 15 and 25 from the longitudinal axis of the device. The raised portions of the outer wall member 40 diverge outwardly from the lance structure similarly. The outer wall member forms raised portions 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, and 54, which partially circumscribe the divergent fluid Outlet conduits 24, 26, 28, 30, 32 and 34, respectively. A series of grooved portions 45, 47, '49, 51, 53, and are disposed intermediate the raised portions. As will be seen by the dotted line configuration shown in FIGURE 2, the grooved portions in this embodzirnent do not exceed the diameter of the outer tubular member 15.

The face plate means 20 is joined to the outer wall member 18 closing off the nozzle structure to form chamber in surrounding relationship to the fluid conduits. The incoming coolant is discharged into the chamber 60 and reversing direction passes to the outgoing coolant passage 14. The face plate 20 is apertured for passage of the fluid Outlet conduits through the face plate. Means are provided for joining the fluid Outlet conduits to the face plate means and to the incoming fluid supply means.

The embodiment of FIGURE 3 employs lance structure of the two concentric tube type. Incoming coolant fiows through centrally located passage 62 to chamber 64 and outgoing coolant fiows through passage 66. Fluid to be introduced to a reaction zone is introduced through a plurality of individual fluid conduits 70, 72 which extend longitudinally through the lance structure in annular passage 66 between the inner tubular member 74 and the outer tubular member 76.

Within the nozzle structure 78, the fluid conduits 70, 72 diverge outwardly. The nozzle structure 78 includes raised and grooved portions to form a longitudinally fluted configuration similar to that described in FIG- URES 1 and 2.

The materials employed in Oxygen lances and similar tions and grooved sections, in which each raised secdevices are well known in the art as Well as methods of tion diverges Outwardly from the outer tubular memj joining together nozzle structures and lance structures so her of the elongated lance structure and is located that no further description is necessary to an underto partially circumscribe at least One of the divergent standing of the nvention. 5 Oxygen Outlet conduits and the grooved Sections are What is claimed is: longtudianlly coextensve with the raised sections Transfer device provding improved area contact for but conform in cross-sectional diameter to that of the top blowing of Oxygen onto a metallurgical bath eomouter tubular member, face plate means joined to the prisng longitudnally fiuted outer wall to define a coolant elongated lance structure and nozzle structure joined 10 Chamber housing the divergent Oxygen Outlet conto one end of the elongated lance structure; duits, the face plate being apertured to define openthe elongated lance structure including an outer tubular ings therein for the Oxygen Outlet COIIUS, and

member, Oxygen supply means, an elongated cenmeans for joining the Oxygen Outlet conduits to the trally located Oxygen passageway, and coolant supply Oxygen supply means of the elongated lance structure and discharge means; 15 and to the openngs defined in the face plate means the nozzle structure including a main body section Of the [102216 Structure.

conformng in crOss-sectional diameter to that of the outer tubular member, a plurality of individual oxy- References Cid in the fil Of this Pater!t gen Outlet conduits which diverge outwardly at an UNITED STATES PATENTS angle in the range of 15 to 25 from the centrally 20 located elongated Oxygen passageway, a longitudigggen Lglz' nally fluted outer wall, having alternate raised sec- 

